Maria met Christuskind op de schoot 1615 - 1670

Curator: This print, entitled "Maria met Christuskind op de schoot", which translates to "Mary with Child Christ on her lap," was created sometime between 1615 and 1670. Its author? Jérôme David. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum, a remarkable piece rendered in engraving. Editor: There's something profoundly intimate about it. The Virgin Mary seems so tender, almost weary, as she cradles the child. It reminds me of countless images of motherhood I’ve seen in chapels around the world, though with its own stark beauty. Curator: Indeed. David captures a universal sentiment. Being an engraving, the piece really foregrounds process, the intense work of making an image—note the delicate hatching, almost relentless in its detailing. Engraving, to me, speaks of patience, skill, and repetition. Editor: You can practically feel the artist's hand moving, can't you? The physical act is really evident. All that dedication of working with a plate and acids. It also emphasizes this religious imagery as labor – devotional labor in itself. Beyond that, what stands out to me is how he frames Mary and child. See how David positions them within a circle that holds a prayer. It feels like looking through a window onto a very personal moment. Curator: It is quite personal and it does echo similar artworks within the baroque style and from the Northern Renaissance. The image and its inscription, though, it feels almost trapped and idealized simultaneously. It speaks of this tension between humanity and divinity—the earthiness of the subjects, in counterpoint to their saintly roles. Editor: And let’s not forget that the piece exists as a print, it suggests ideas about accessibility and consumption within the religious framework. Here is the possibility that common people had some level of connection with sacred imagery through reproductive technology. Curator: It also invites speculation about who this Jérôme David actually was. Is the artist of such work connected to the printing and making or is he one far from the final production and its materials? Editor: A wonderful mystery to unravel… each detail etched into the plate offering further food for thought, doesn't it? I'm so impressed by this image. Curator: Me too. These simple depictions resonate far beyond their time, I guess.